By Barrientos S.B. No. 666
75R5213 JSA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to tuition, fees, and student loans of and certain
1-3 benefits for certain graduate students employed as teaching
1-4 assistants, assistant instructors, or research assistants at public
1-5 institutions of higher education.
1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-7 SECTION 1. Section 54.063, Education Code, is amended to
1-8 read as follows:
1-9 Sec. 54.063. TEACHING OR RESEARCH ASSISTANT. (a) An
1-10 assistant instructor, [A] teaching assistant, or research assistant
1-11 of any institution of higher education and the spouse and children
1-12 of such an assistant instructor, [a] teaching assistant, or
1-13 research assistant are entitled to register in a state institution
1-14 of higher education by paying the tuition fees and other fees or
1-15 charges required for Texas residents under Section 54.051 of this
1-16 code, without regard to the length of time the assistant has
1-17 resided in Texas, if the instructor or assistant is employed at
1-18 least one-half time in a teaching or research assistant position
1-19 which relates to the instructor's or assistant's degree program
1-20 under rules and regulations established by the employer
1-21 institution.
1-22 (b) The governing board of an institution of higher
1-23 education shall exempt from the payment of tuition fees a graduate
1-24 student who:
2-1 (1) is employed at the institution as an assistant
2-2 instructor, teaching assistant, or research assistant;
2-3 (2) is researching or writing the report, thesis, or
2-4 dissertation required by the student's graduate degree program; and
2-5 (3) is not enrolled in a course with organized
2-6 coursework.
2-7 (c) A student is considered to be enrolled as a full-time
2-8 student for all purposes if the student:
2-9 (1) is entitled to an exemption from tuition fees
2-10 under Subsection (b); or
2-11 (2) would be entitled to an exemption from tuition
2-12 fees under Subsection (b) except that the student is enrolled in a
2-13 course with organized coursework.
2-14 (d) A student exempt from tuition fees under Subsection (b)
2-15 is also exempt from the payment of any fee imposed for the use of a
2-16 health or medical center or for health, hospital, or medical
2-17 services.
2-18 (e) In its appropriations to general academic teaching
2-19 institutions, the legislature shall compute the local funds
2-20 available to each institution as if the tuition fees for which an
2-21 exemption is granted under Subsection (b) were collected by the
2-22 institution.
2-23 (f) In this section, "general academic teaching institution"
2-24 has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
2-25 SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
2-26 amended by adding Section 51.9085 to read as follows:
2-27 Sec. 51.9085. HEALTH INSURANCE FOR CERTAIN GRADUATE STUDENT
3-1 EMPLOYEES. The governing board of an institution of higher
3-2 education at which a student entitled to an exemption from tuition
3-3 fees under Section 54.063(b) is employed in a position listed in
3-4 Section 54.063(b)(1) shall permit the student to participate in the
3-5 group health insurance program provided to full-time employees of
3-6 the institution in the same manner as a full-time employee. A
3-7 student participating in the group health insurance program is
3-8 entitled to the same state contribution as a full-time employee of
3-9 the institution.
3-10 SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies
3-11 beginning with the 1997 fall semester.
3-12 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-13 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-17 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-18 passage, and it is so enacted.